Teams and players alike have incentives to play and win as many games as possible. Incentives built into contracts are prevalent in professional sports, but collegiate athletes also face pressure to perform, be considered a “good teammate,” and to ensure that they remain on scholarship. We hear stories all the time that an athlete has found a way to persevere through a hardship, whether it be health related or a family related issue, and they are recognized for their hard work and determination for the greater good of the team or organization. But what if the short-term success will have...

The Washington Post was recently able to obtain sealed court filings from a lawsuit filed by former NFL players against the 32 teams of the NFL. Those court filings detailed how the NFL teams and trainers have regularly abused painkillers violating both ethical and legal standards.
The filings contain testimony and documentation from former and current team doctors and trainers detailing instances where they were aware of abuses, record keeping issues and even violations of federal law and little or no response was given. This indicates a flagrant violation by NFL teams to accord with best practices and federal controlled substance laws.
There was...

Esteemed attorney Luis Cartaya has joined Weisberg & Associates as the third attorney in the firm. Luis is a zealous and relentless attorney who has worked in the legal field since 2011 primarily working in the areas of criminal defense, DUI/DWI and traffic infractions.
Luis was born and raised in Havana, Cuba. Willing to abandon what lives they had there, his parents brought him over to the United States at a young age so that he may have a bright future.
Being a communist country, Cuba is a place where people enjoy very few, if any, civil rights. This oppressive form of...

Zach Needell
Law Clerk, Weisberg & Associates, P.A.
Juris Doctor Candidate, Emory University School of Law; 2018
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative disease of the brain developed as a result of repeated head trauma that can only be diagnosed after death. Its symptoms usually start to appear about 8-10 years after trauma and include, but are not limited to, memory loss, dementia, suicidal tendencies, and anti-social or erratic behavior. As a fan of American sports, it’s impossible to ignore. It’s everywhere. From ESPN to major motion pictures, CTE, its effects, and who’s to blame for its coverup have been at the...

Zach Needell
Law Clerk, Weisberg & Associates, P.A.
Juris Doctor, Emory University School of Law; 2018
Working for Weisberg & Associates, P.A. in Boca Raton, FL, a law firm working on behalf of individual retired NFL players in the NFL Concussion Class Action Settlement, you see firsthand what repeated concussions and other head injuries can do to athletes; it’s scary. These men, some younger than thirty years old, have endured significant brain trauma and are already experiencing the effects of those injuries: memory loss, irritability, balance issues, light and sound sensitivity, migraines, anti-social or violent behavior, depression, and even suicidal thoughts.
Some say that...

The NFL's concussion settlement has brought a lot of attention to the issue of concussions in the NFL. More than ever players past and present are thinking about the risks associated with head injuries and how they may be affected.
It's now known that repeated concussions can lead to diseases related to traumatic brain injury. Early dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS, and CTE are all degenerative brain diseases that can result from multiple concussions over the course of an NFL career.
From a medical and personal standpoint these diseases are costly because they can result in memory loss, confusion, loss of impulse control, muscular...

Retired NFL players are probably well aware of the NFL concussion settlement. What many former players may now be deliberating is whether or not to get tested for brain damage arising from concussions in the NFL. Some retired players may not show any symptoms or may not understand the process for getting tested.
Despite those concerns, we recommend that if you played in the NFL for any amount of time you should get a neurological examination. Even if you don't show symptoms of early dementia, getting examined now is one of the most important things you can do.
Why?
Well, there are a...